Seven times during his reelection bid, Gov. Jeb Bush climbed
aboard a private jet owned by National Century Financial Enterprises of Ohio, the
once-high-flying health financing group now under federal investigation for
multibillion-dollar fraud, campaign finance records show.
Bush also raised money at the tony Port Charlotte estate of National Century's
former chief executive and founder, Lance Poulsen, 59.
On Tuesday, as Poulsen's business dealings continued to make headlines nationwide,
Bush said Poulsen is only an acquaintance.
''I've met him once in my life, that's my relationship with him,'' Bush said Tuesday
morning, only to correct himself a few hours later, saying he had forgotten he actually
talked to Poulsen twice -- both times at fundraisers.
Poulsen has not spoken publicly since Nov. 8, three days after Election Day, when he
resigned from National Century amid allegations in a civil lawsuit that his
mismanagement of reserve funds could cost institutional bondholders on Wall Street
as much as $3.35 billion. Within a week, FBI investigators launched their own
investigation, searching the company's Dublin, Ohio, headquarters.
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